[New-bugs-announce] [issue29911] Uninstall command line in Windows registry does not uninstall

[Christian Ullrich]

New submission from Christian Ullrich:

The Windows installation package registers a command line for uninstalling the package. Running this command line does not uninstall the package.

The command line ends with "/modify". For uninstallation, it should be "/passive /uninstall".

Windows provides for separate command lines for modifying and uninstalling packages to be set in the "Uninstall" subkey:

- ModifyPath: Command line for modifying the package
- UninstallString: Command line for removing the package

By setting both keys, the ARP control panel will display separate buttons for the two operations.

Having an uninstallation command line that does not do what it says, and in fact causes modal UI to be presented, also interferes with automated package management.

Ceterum censeo: This bug would have been avoided by using MSI as the distribution package format, because "msiexec /qn /x [ProductCode]" would have been correct regardless of what the registry says, and even if the registry does not say anything because the Uninstall key (as well as the uninstaller executable itself) were actually deleted months ago as part of some expired user profile. See bug #25166.

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components: Windows
messages: 290544
nosy: Christian.Ullrich, paul.moore, steve.dower, tim.golden, zach.ware
priority: normal
severity: normal
status: open
title: Uninstall command line in Windows registry does not uninstall
type: behavior
versions: Python 3.6

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Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org>
<http://bugs.python.org/issue29911>
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